Mora County

The elected officials of Mora County took the oath of office on Friday Dec. 28 at the Mora Senior Citizens’ Center.

Probate Judge Edward Aragon presided over the ceremony and swore in the newly elected officials. The senior citizens, family members and county officials were present to witness the officials as they were sworn in. A white Bible was used for the swearing in.

Those who were sworn in were Joanne Padilla–Salas as County Clerk, Florence Romero as County Treasurer and Alfonzo Griego as County Commissioner.

Don’t look now, but ... there is a second chapter in the story / column I wrote about fruitcakes. Yes, I know some family members might call me the original fruitcake because I write about such nonsensical things, but what do they know!

The day the fruitcake column was published, my neighbors just down the road near Sapello appeared at my door with a real, packed-in-that-tin fruitcake, made by the monks at Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, Va., no less.

Christmas is sharing time in Mora. Many people showed the reason for the season, sharing their talents, and their material with others.

Pauline Laumbach’s BPA gave 156 color books to children in grades kindergarten through third. The music department gave a free Christmas concert. The Mora Mountain Mamas sang Christmas carols at the Mora Senior Center.

Oh my! I love it when a book finds me, in a somewhat circuitous route, I might add. In other words, Santa has a way of finding us, I’ve learned for the Nth time in my life.
A big part of the fun of writing this column is delivering my typewritten columns to the Optic staff every week. I was surprised recently when the kids there told me I had a package or an envelope waiting for me. Oh, my again! The package contained a signed copy of “Las Vegas, New Mexico, Volume II” by Joseph Lordi, with a note tucked into the signed copy.

If you drive Highway 518 towards Mora this time of year (as I do) you probably will meet trucks and trailers filled with our local, homegrown Christmas trees. They are sold in tree lots throughout New Mexico. Mora County is famous for its beautiful Christmas trees. Almost all of them are natural, not planted, and they thrive on our mountain slopes here.

On Nov. 27, Esperanza Home Health Care and Hospice in Buena Vista completed their 22nd year in serving the area. At present, they are serving Mora, San Miguel, Colfax, and Harding counties. The staff covers more than 100 miles in their duties.